Help please...Sony BDV-E280 external USB keyboard and Audio Jack help

I have to admit that this is the first time I've bought a home entertainment system and overall I'm impressed with the the easy setup and relatively low cost of this system.

However, having spent a whole day trawling through Google, I've been unable to get a satisfactory answer as to why my USB keyboard and mouse won't work (via the front USB port)?

I plugged it in and pressed the communication button on the keyboard and mouse commander thing and it lit up blue. I then went onto the Web and tried to type, but was only given the built-in keyboard. According to the specification of this model, it supports a USB keyboard, so is it me that's not set it up properly?

Also, I've plugged in a small amplifier with microphone into the Audio Jack, but is it possible that I can get it to play along with my PC or TV to output at the same time. I've got Karaoke songs on my PC and would like to be able to have the option to sing along to them. Is this possible?

I really hope you guys here can help with either option. Thanks in advance.

I plugged it in and pressed the communication button on the keyboard and mouse commander thing and it lit up blue. I then went onto the Web and tried to type, but was only given the built-in keyboard. According to the specification of this model, it supports a USB keyboard, so is it me that's not set it up properly?

I don't have the instructions to hand, but the service manual makes no suggestion you can connect a keyboard, only memory type devices.

I suspect you are probably right though, despite what the specifications on that site says, and that's why the actual manual doesn't go into any detail about it. I just don't get that it's a USB device and won't work.

Probably a typo, I've downloaded the instruction book and it states (just like the service manual) "Type A (For connecting
USB memory, memory
card reader, digital still
camera, and digital video
camera)"

Quote:

I suspect you are probably right though, despite what the specifications on that site says, and that's why the actual manual doesn't go into any detail about it. I just don't get that it's a USB device and won't work.

You don't understand what USB is, it's not a 'magic' connection that works with anything plugged in to it - it requires complicated (and often specific) drivers in order to work. This is a DVD player, not a computer, the USB socket is simply for playing data off flash drives etc.

I've downloaded the user manual from that link and the only mention of USB keyboard is a single sentence on page 60 about using 101 key keyboards on the front USB port. And that is it. Nothing about what you can do with the keyboard or whether it has to be a specific type beyond "101 keys" which is pretty generic.

As for the karaoke thing. First of all why in the name of all that is holy would you want to do that???

Anyway. The unit is not set up for mixing multiple audio sources. So if you have the microphone plugged into the AUX jack and the PC on HDMI 1 (for example) you can select either AUX or HDMI 1 to get a noise from the speakers one at a time but not both together.

You might be able to plug the mic into the PC and mix it in with whatever audio you are playing back from the PC. That depends on the capabilities of the sound card in the PC. But other than that you would need some form of external mixing device or a specialised karaoke player that does let you use a mic at the same time as playing music.

Thanks for the replies. I have now been duly educated and it will save me a ton of time trawling through Google.

I guess I was expecting a bit too much.

Thanks for the tip about plugging in a wired keyboard. Will give that a try. As for the Karaoke...I will set it up the way I did before. I.e. on a separate device so that I can see the lyrics and use the mic at the same time. Thanks again.